Displaying items by tag: Lecture: Asgard

31st January 2015

Lecture: ‘Asgard’ Ireland’s Most Historic Yacht 1905-2015

#LectureAsgard - Baltimore Maritime Centre's 2014/2015 Winter Lecture Series presents 'Asgard' Ireland's most historic yacht 1905 to 2015

The lecture by Pat Murphy, boating historian and round-the-world yachtsman will be held on Thursday 5 February at 20:00 in Poolbeg Yacht and Boat Club, Ringsend, Dublin.

All are welcome. Admission of €5 in aid of the RNL

Pat will take you on the voyage of Asgard from her launch in 1905, her 23 day voyage to collect guns and ammunition for the Irish Volunteers and the landing of them at Howth July 1914.

The illustrated talk will cover her conservation today in Collins Barracks in the National Museum of Ireland.

After an absence of 47 years she was bought by the Irish Government in 1961 and from then, until being de-commissioned in 1979.

She gave a variety of Irish sailors and would be sailors experiences that they most likely might otherwise never have had.

"We have to restore her and put her back in the water." "No! We should conserve her and put her on public display in the National Museum." This was the argument that was being played out by various groups.

The conservationists won the argument and the talk will cover the full conservation process that took almost six years to complete.

The part played by 6 local volunteers in putting the finishing touches to the project is also described in detail.

Published in Boating Fixtures

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Ireland & La Solitaire du Figaro

The Solitaire du Figaro, was originally called the course de l’Aurore until 1980, was created in 1970 by Jean-Louis Guillemard and Jean-Michel Barrault.

Half a decade later, the race has created some of France's top offshore sailors, and it celebrated its 50th anniversary with a new boat equipped with foils and almost 50 skippers Including novices, aficionados and six former winners.

The solo multi-stage offshore sailing race is one of the most cherished races in French sailing and one that has had Irish interest stretching back over 20 years due to the number of Irish stopovers, usually the only foreign leg of the French race.

What Irish ports have hosted The Solitaire du Figaro?

The race has previously called to Ireland to the following ports; Dingle, Kinsale, Crosshaven, Howth and Dun Laoghaire.

What Irish sailors have raced The Solitaire du Figaro?

So far there have been seven Irish skippers to participate in La Solitaire du Figaro.

In 1997, County Kerry's Damian Foxall first tackled the Figaro from Ireland. His win in the Rookie division in DHL gave him the budget to compete again the following year with Barlo Plastics where he won the final leg of the race from Gijon to Concarneau. That same year a second Irish sailor Marcus Hutchinson sailing Bergamotte completed the course in 26th place and third Rookie.

In 2000, Hutchinson of Howth Yacht Club completed the course again with IMPACT, again finishing in the twenties.

In 2006, Paul O’Riain became the third Irish skipper to complete the course.

In 2013, Royal Cork's David Kenefick raised the bar by becoming a top rookie sailor in the race.

In 2018, for the first time, Ireland had two Irish boats in the offshore race thanks to Tom Dolan and Joan Mulloy who joined the rookie ranks and kept the Irish tricolour flying high in France. Mulloy became the first Irish female to take on the race.

Tom Dolan in Smurfit Kappa competed for his third year in 2020 after a 25th place finish in 2019. Dolan sailed a remarkably consistent series in 2020 and took fifth overall, the best finish by a non-French skipper since 1997 when Switzerland’s Dominique Wavre finished runner up. Dolan wins the VIVI Trophy.

Dolan finished 10th on the first stage, 11th on the second and seventh into Saint Nazaire at the end of the third stage. Stage four was abandoned due to lack of wind.

Also in 2020, Dun Laoghaire’s Kenneth Rumball became the eleventh Irish sailor to sail the Figaro.

At A Glance – Figaro Race

It starts in June or July from a French port.
The race is split into four stages varying from year to year, from the length of the French coast and making up a total of around 1,500 to 2,000 nautical miles (1,700 to 2,300 mi; 2,800 to 3,700 km) on average.
Over the years the race has lasted between 10 and 13 days at sea.
The competitor is alone in the boat, participation is mixed.
Since 1990, all boats are of one design.